Previous: Zack stepped up and led his ranger team to victory against Tigro. Along the way they even acquired two new rangers, Hermione, a shy girl and class clown Leo, who possesses the powers of Earth and Jupiter. Star also got a vision of a ranger team before the current ones, however Lenora told her that there wasn't a team before the current one's, causing Star to distrust her. Lenora also got a visit from her daughter, Emily, who happens to be Star's social worker.
Nadia groaned when she woke up. She felt the same sharp pains in her stomach. Like most mornings she woke up hungry because she hadn't had dinner. She looked at her alarm clock and growled when she realized it was past eight. School breakfast closed at 7:30, and she only had twenty minutes to get to school. She would need at least thirty just to get ready. She decided to wear a pink tank top and a black skirt. She normally would wear her cheer outfit (mainly because Becky wanted everyone on the squad to match), but she had a feeling Becky didn't want her to match with the others. Yesterday she and Star got in a fight, and Becky wanted Nadia to choose between the two. Nadia liked Star and tolerated Becky, so she didn't see why she had to pick. Life was so unfair.
She walked downstairs and saw her mother and her latest boyfriend curled up under the blanket, on the couch. They were probably naked under the blanket, Nadia thought in disgust.
She carefully stepped over Dorito bags and beer bottles until she reached the kitchen. She searched the pantry, the only thing in there was a pop tart that expired a month ago. She sighed and went to the fridge. The only things in there were water and may noise. She groaned and slammed the fridge, which woke up her mother and the boyfriend.
"Can you be a little quiet Nadia?" Her mother asked.
Her boyfriend frowned. "I didn't know you had kids."
Nadia wanted to scream that she had five kids. Nadia was the youngest. Her two older brothers were in jail, the third brother was in rehab, and her sister…Nadia had no idea where her sister was.
However her mother made her practice the same routine. "I'm her niece." Nadia smiled.
"Yes, she's my older sister's daughter, she crashes here sometimes. Don't worry she won't be staying tonight." Her mother smiled.
Nadia gritted her teeth and balled her fists. "I won't?"
"Yes, aren't you sleeping at one of your friend's house tonight?" Her mother said.
"I just thought my mom might care if I stayed with her." Nadia snapped.
"She doesn't, just find a place to sleep." Her mother sighed.
Nadia growled. She wanted to punch her mother in the face.
"Your niece seems nice." The boyfriend smiled.
Nadia decided not to answer and stormed out.
It took five hours to reach Nadia's favorite time of day. Lunch. Granted she was on the free lunch program so she only ate a PB &J and an apple, but it was more than what she would have all day.
As she grabbed her tray she looked around and sighed. She saw the cheerleaders glaring at her. They were still waiting for Nadia to choose. Nadia noticed that they made sure to block all available seats. She decided to sit with Star and Hermione. They weren't cheerleaders, but they were still fun.
Nadia sat down and smiled at them.
"Look at Miss Popular sitting at the Island of Rejects." Star smiled.
"Hey, Nadia." Hermione smiled.
"Becky still icing you out?" Star asked.
Nadia nodded.
Hermione shook her head. "That's really mean of her to do so."
"Do you need me to beat her ass again?" Star asked.
Hermione laughs awkwardly. "I never thanked you for defending me."
"Don't sweat it, I'll take any excuse I can get to punch Becky." Star smiled.
"And why exactly do you hate her? I mean she's a bitch, but she hasn't really been a bitch to you." Nadia said.
Star shrugged. "I don't know I just do."
Nadia sensed there was more to the story but decided to ignore it. She turned to her sandwich and started to wolf it down, causing the other girls to look at her surprised.
"Are you getting paid to eat that sandwich?" Star asked amused.
Nadia frowned. "What do you mean?"
"She means you're just really tearing into that sandwich. Did you not eat breakfast?" Hermione asked.
"No..my mom..I mean I was running late." Nadia said.
Hermione gave Nadia my pizza. "Here, have this."
Nadia blushed. "I really shouldn't take that."
"It's fine, I'm not that hungry anyway." Hermione smiled.
Nadia thanked her and quickly devoured the pizza. Star laughed. "I think Nadia's part wolf."
After lunch Star and Nadia made their way to math. Nadia groaned. "This is so unfair. Math is so boring."
"Only because you know all the answers, I actually have to apply myself. This is bullshit." Star said.
"Agreed the odds are we probably won't use this after high school." A male voice said.
Star and Nadia turned to face the source. Nadia rolled her eyes. "Diego Haust, what the hell do you want?"
Diego was half Puerto Rican, half black, giving him a light brown skin tone, curly brown hair, and brown eyes. He was very muscular and wore an orange hoodie and some jeans.
Star had to admit, he was cute.
"Just saying hi to my cuz and her cute friend." Diego smirked.
"Her cute friend doesn't have time for a scrub like you." Star said.
She turned to Nadia. "You guys are cousins."
"Not really, are moms are just drinking buddies." Nadia sighed.
Diego turned to Star and smiled. "You must be new around here."
"Wow, nothing gets past you." Star said.
Diego held out his hand. "I'm Diego."
Star pushed his hand aside. "You're Diego? Where's Dora?"
Nadia chuckled while Diego rolled his eyes.
"Clever, never heard that one before. Since you're new you're probably going to need someone to show you around." He smiled.
"Don't worry I already have a bunch of losers who volunteered for that job." Star said.
Nadia bitterly remembered how she volunteered.
"Yeah but none of them can give you the Diego experience." Diego smirked.
"Sounds like the only thing I can get from the Diego experience is an STD." Star laughed.
"I'm clean as a whistle, cross my heart and hope to die." He said.
"Nice promise, but talking to you made me realize how much fun math can be." Star said.
"Very funny." Diego said.
As he was walking off, Star called for him. "Saturday!"
Diego stopped and frowned. "What's Saturday?"
"Our date." Star smirked.
Without another word she walked into the classroom, with Nadia following amazed.
"You're going to go on a date with Diego?" Nadia said surprised.
"Why not, I don't have anything else to do. Besides he's cute. And he's 'clean as a whistle'." Star chuckled.
Nadia shook her head. "I don't think this is a good idea. He's in a gang you know."
Star laughed. "You don't think I can't handle a bad boy. I eat boys like Diego for breakfast."
Nadia rolled her eyes and sat down. She pulled out her phone and started to text someone. Star looked over her shoulders curiously.
NADIA: Please don't shut me out baby, I love you.
"Who's the lucky guy?" Star asked.
Nadia elbowed her. "Those messages were private."
"Well whoever that guy is he's probably not interested. You've texted him thirty times and he hasn't responded once." She said.
Nadia sighed.
"Ladies focus." Mr. Dean barked.
Nadia nodded. "You're right he's definitely not interested."
"What you need is a new man. Someone who's cute and can handle me mercilessly making fun of them" Star smirked.
"If it isn't the beautiful Nadia Lopez." Leo smiled.
He walked over to Nadia's locker and had a smirk. "Yes Leo I am beautiful, I don't need pests like you to tell me that."
"Ouch baby. Why are you being so harsh, I'm just a lonely soul looking for love?" Leo said.
"Love? Leo the only thing you love is ice cream. Besides I don't have time for sophomores." Nadia said.
Leo laughed. "Come on baby, you know you like me."
"I would rather stab my eyes out with a fork than go on a date with you." Nadia said.
"You're saying that now, but one day you're going to want this Leo pie. So why not invest now?" Leo smiled.
Nadia sighed. She and Leo have been playing this game for several years, and every time he asked her out she tried to make a convenient excuse.
"Leo I can't go out tonight, I have to watch my…little siblings." Nadia lied.
Leo shrugged. It seemed like he bought it. "No biggie. Some other time then."
Nadia nodded and Leo walked away. It wasn't long after did her stomach begin to growl.
"Unbelievable." She sighed.
She was so hungry it physically hurt.
"Hey Nadia, you look very pretty today." Zack said nervously.
"Thanks Zack." Nadia smiled.
She turned to look at the red ranger. "I'm trying out this new makeup brand."
"Well it looks great." Zack said.
It was obvious he was nervous. Nadia wondered why.
"Hey are you okay?" Nadia asked.
He laughed awkwardly. "So…um I have two tickets to see a movie tonight. So I was wondering if you wanted to get some dinner and then you know…see a movie."
Nadia's stomach growled at the thought of food. She had to say yes.
"Sure, Zack I would love to." She smiled.
Star made sure to show up at the temple, at a time where no one else would be there. She had to make sure Lenora didn't see her. Star searched every corner of mission control hoping to find something. There was almost no trace of a previous team of rangers.
"Come on stupid vison powers show me something!" She yelled.
Star stepped back when she felt another vison come over.
"Hello is anyone here?" A pretty blond girl asked.
She had porcelain skin and blue eyes, she wore a pink dress with a black leather jacket, and pink boots. . She was gorgeous. She almost seemed familiar. She turned to Star and smiled. Star gulped. It was almost as she could see her. Then Star realized she wasn't looking at her, but through her.
"Hey Star." She smiled.
Star gasped as she was pulled back to reality. Was that a vision of the past or the future? That girl said her name, so the vision had to be in the future…right? Star sighed. All she knew was that she had more work to do.
Chase and Becky were doing what they normally did after school, making out in her car. Chase pulled away when he got a text. He laughed before replying. Becky glared at him.
"Who's texting you?" Becky demanded.
Chase frowned. "Does it matter?"
"Is she cute?" Becky demanded.
He sighed. He was used to Becky's jealous fits, but he preferred not to have one today.
"Becky you said you'd work on the whole jealous girlfriend thing." Chase said.
"I am, by now I would've had your phone hacked and had whoever you were texting water boarded." Becky smiled.
Chase sighed. "Fine, it's Star."
Becky growled. "I hate that afro wearing diva." She snarled.
Chase raised an eyebrow. "Technically she doesn't wear an afro, it grows out of her head."
Becky growled. "How can you be friends with her after our fight?"
"It was barely a fight, she threw like one punch." Chase said.
"So now you're defending her." Becky said.
"I'm not defending anyone." Chase said.
"So now you're not defending me?" Becky frowned.
Chase groaned. It was so much easier being single.
Becky sighed. "I just want us to hang out more, baby. You spend all your time with Star and those weird kids."
"I do not, and they are not weird. Their actually very cool." He smiled.
Becky felt envious. First Star snatched her best friend, and now her boyfriend.
"And you guys have that stupid pizza night tomorrow." She said.
Chase frowned. Pizza night was a new tradition they started to meet up and unwind. It was stressful being a ranger so they would decompress over a bunch of slices of pizza. He knew they would kill him for what he was about to do, but he had to do it.
"Becky do you want to come to pizza night?" He sighed.
Her eyes went wide and she smiled. "I would love to."
Chase's morpher buzzed and he groaned. "It's my…mom."
She sighed. "By honey, see you tomorrow." He kissed her and hoped out of the car.
It was time to save the day.
Next: Dates and pizza night cause drama for the rangers, while Nadia deals with her image.